Hazel Sykes, 32, who has lived in Newsome all her life, said: "My grandfather Derek Baldry used to wind the clock in the tower and he used to take me up there to help on a Monday night before Brownies in the early 90s.

"My grandmother also worked in the mill so the building means a lot to me personally. It is a part of my heritage.

"I watched on Thursday night as they begun demolition - it's very difficult to see it go."